The Human Rights Protection Party (H.R.P.P.) has taken their election campaign out to the villages, a day after a party leader flatly denied going out to "interfere" with the voters of the seven constituencies that will go for by-elections next month. 

Last week the party's secretary, Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi rejected claims that the party would mimic the governing party's campaign strategy of conducting election roadshows. 

The Fa'atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (F.A.S.T) party successfully held a series of roadshow-style political events in the lead up to April's general elections, drawing crowds of hundreds.

But the style of campaign outreach by the new party attracted criticism at the time, including from the now opposition party and was described by the now opposition leader as "a foreign practice".

"We don't do roadshows. we will never do roadshows, we don't follow what F.A.S.T does, we don't do roadshows," Lealailepule told the Samoa Observer.

"We only go out if people request us to come because there has been a lot of allegations, false allegations put out by F.A.S.T the last time. We ignore it."

The party leader, Tuilaepa Dr. Sa'ilele Malielegaoi, also claimed that the F.A.S.T. party managed to win April's election because they "were giving out money during their roadshows, made false promises and also defaming and destroying the name and reputation of the H.R.P.P. party."

Which is a campaign style that Tuilaepa vowed they would "never do."

However, the leader and members of the Opposition were seen at the constituency of Falealili No.2 on Friday, a day before the F.A.S.T. commenced their by-election roadshows. 

Tuilaepa told the media on Thursday that they had no plans of conducting any new campaign tactics ahead of November’s crucial by-elections. 

He told this newspaper, they would be conducting "usual" election preparations. 

“We are just having discussions with our members and candidates to address some of the issues they want to understand,” he said. 

At Falealili, the deputy leader of the party and M.P. for Anoama’a No.2 seat, Fonotoe Pierre Lauofo outlined the purpose of the meeting with Falealili, saying they wanted to clear the air on some of the "false accusations" against their leader and party by the ruling party, and to set the record straight on the "false promises" made by the F.A.S.T. party.

"Our party's priority is our people; we put our people first," Fonotoe told the gathering at Falealili on Friday. 

"We just want to highlight some of the issues for your information and understanding which can give you some ideas of where we are at to help you guys with your questions."

Fonotoe did not beat around the bush and told the gathering that the $1 million tala promise for the 51 constituencies in the country "will not happen."

"They have come up with the $200,000 project for the constituencies, asking the constituencies to choose a Committee to be in charge of the project. 

"They said that they would reveal the criteria and outline or framework for the project soon, but we still have not received anything from them on how this project will work."

The former Deputy Prime Minister then accused the Government of moving the project immediately to the seven constituencies that will be going through by-elections next month. 

Fonotoe is of the view that the F.A.S.T. Government is using the $200,000 project funding to lure voters to vote for their candidates. 

In saying that, Fonotoe also criticised the new party for interfering with the selection of the 14 Committee members, saying "it's not their job to choose."

"Selecting the members to make up the committee should be up to the constituency. I have informed my constituency that we should not give them the chance to choose the members for our committee," he said.

"But having and choosing committee members for districts in Samoa is nothing new.

"We did these kinds of projects in the past during our time."

Fonotoe reiterated that they were only there to clear some of the issues raised by the public against the H.R.P.P. party and that their intentions were "only to meet with the constituency upon request."

Nevertheless, Fonotoe put it to those present that they should look at how the Government is handling Samoa's COVID-19 prevention strategy.

"We have had an influx of people coming into the country in the past few weeks. More than five hundred at in quarantine and more flights are expected to come next week," he said.

"This is not a good sign for us, especially when the disease is spreading across New Zealand and Australia where these flights are coming from. 

"We should be concerned because the lives of our people are at risk. I heard that they are negotiating their decision."

Fonotoe reminded the voters of Falealili No.2 that the "victory is in their hands" and appealed to the voters to support their candidate. 

The address by Fonotoe was followed by a question and answer session with the members of the party and elders from the constituency. 

The seat of Falealili No.2. was initially won by the former ruling party's candidate and former M.P. Fuimaono Samuelu Te'o. 

The party is now relying on their candidate Leleimalefaga Fonotia Ne'emia to ensure the Falealili No. 2 seat remains a H.R.P.P. constituency. 

Their rivals F.A.S.T. are fielding two candidates to contest the seat of Falealili No.2. and started their roadshows on Saturday.